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#1 2010-11-08 17:37:09

seatdistrict
Member
Registered: 2010-11-08
Posts: 11

[SOLVED] Live CD boot error on macbook 7,1: boot device didn't show...

I'm getting the following error message and prompt when I try to boot Arch from the live cd:

Error: Boot device didn't show up after 30 seconds. You can try to fix it manually...

ramfs$

I'm trying to install Arch (2010.05 iso) alongside OS X 10.6.4 on my macbook 7,1 (mid 2010) with rEFIt installed. I've burned 2 cd's with iso's downloaded yesterday from different mirrors. Both of them result in the same error message when I try to boot. I checked the md5sums and used the minimum burn speed available in OS X's disk utility (8x). I've also searched through the forums and google, finding several related threads, but none with a solution that has worked for me as most of the people who have experienced this problem seem to be attempting to boot from a flash drive.

The Beginner's Guide page of the wiki recommends

# udevadm trigger

which didn't work. I've also tried several commands found in other threads that attempt to create a symbolic link, eg:

#ln -sf /dev/sr0 /dev/archiso

as well as browsing around the filesystem on the disk from the ramfs$ prompt, but to no avail.

Other threads have mentioned that the cd should be /dev/sr0 instead of /dev/sg0, but I don't know how to determine which it's showing up as during the installation (when I try 'ls /dev' from the ramfs$ prompt, it cuts off the top, even when I pipe to less) or if this is part of the problem. Another proposed solution I've encountered has been that the cd is improperly labeled, however mine shows up as ARCH_201005, which I believe is correct.

Neither the Macbook nor the Macbook Pro pages of the wiki mention this issue.

I've also tried installing from a flash drive, using dd on an ubuntu live cd, and later trying it with dd on OS X. Both of these result in a blinking cursor in the top left corner of a black screen when I try to boot from the drive. I haven't tried the Gujin method yet as I really just want to install Arch at this point.
I don't know if it's relevant, but I also get a series of error messages directly before this one, which look something like this:

ata2: link is slow to respond. please be patient...
ata1: ink is slow to respond. please be patient...
ata2: ...[I don't remember this bit exactly]... errno -16
ata1: ...[I don't remember this bit exactly]... errno -16

Any ideas on how I can get up and running?

Last edited by seatdistrict (2010-11-09 13:38:53)

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#2 2010-11-08 18:47:26

litemotiv
Forum Fellow
Registered: 2008-08-01
Posts: 5,026

Re: [SOLVED] Live CD boot error on macbook 7,1: boot device didn't show...

I would recommend trying Archboot with EFI-support, i used that on a new Mac a few days ago with a flash drive.


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#3 2010-11-08 21:22:06

seatdistrict
Member
Registered: 2010-11-08
Posts: 11

Re: [SOLVED] Live CD boot error on macbook 7,1: boot device didn't show...

I've just attempted to boot using Archboot on my flash drive, but I only get a blinking cursor. I used an ubuntu live cd to dd the iso to the drive according to the instructions at https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Archboot

'dd if=<imagefile> of=/dev/<yourdevice> bs=1M'

The drive shows up as ARCHBOOT in OS X and seems to have all the necessary files.

I'm going to try again with another flash drive, both the regular iso and the archboot iso, and I'll try and find another cd to try the archboot iso on if the flash drive doesn't work. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

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#4 2010-11-08 21:45:38

litemotiv
Forum Fellow
Registered: 2008-08-01
Posts: 5,026

Re: [SOLVED] Live CD boot error on macbook 7,1: boot device didn't show...

Have you tried booting the fallback kernel? There is a problem with the regular kernel which tries to boot with AHCI, which is not yet supported for the new Macbooks.


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#5 2010-11-08 21:55:13

seatdistrict
Member
Registered: 2010-11-08
Posts: 11

Re: [SOLVED] Live CD boot error on macbook 7,1: boot device didn't show...

I have not. I'm going to try it with another flash drive, and if that doesn't work, I'll look up how to boot the fallback kernel. Thanks.

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#6 2010-11-08 22:16:16

seatdistrict
Member
Registered: 2010-11-08
Posts: 11

Re: [SOLVED] Live CD boot error on macbook 7,1: boot device didn't show...

Alright, I'm sorry, but I can't find out how to use the fallback kernel. Do I need to download a different .iso (eg 2009.08), or add something to the boot line on the live cd?

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#7 2010-11-09 07:24:56

litemotiv
Forum Fellow
Registered: 2008-08-01
Posts: 5,026

Re: [SOLVED] Live CD boot error on macbook 7,1: boot device didn't show...

When you boot Archboot the grub menu shows different kernels to boot, you can choose between a regular and fallback kernel here. I assume you do get to see grub right, since you usually strand on the ramfs afterwards?


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#8 2010-11-09 11:25:54

seatdistrict
Member
Registered: 2010-11-08
Posts: 11

Re: [SOLVED] Live CD boot error on macbook 7,1: boot device didn't show...

No, when I try to boot from a usb drive, archboot or the regular iso, I don't even get to the main boot menu, it just shows a blinking cursor in the top left of a blank screen (in rEFIt, it shows up as "Legacy OS"). I only get far enough to reach the above error when I try from a live cd. I'll try to find another cd so I can try archboot with that, unless you know of a different way to try booting from the usb drive.

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#9 2010-11-09 13:37:29

seatdistrict
Member
Registered: 2010-11-08
Posts: 11

Re: [SOLVED] Live CD boot error on macbook 7,1: boot device didn't show...

Alright. I got into the installer by burning Archboot to a dvd (didn't have a cd handy). It turns out I didn't need to use the fallback kernel, it just needed to be done from a live cd instead of a usb drive. litemotiv, you've been really helpful, thanks.

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#10 2010-11-09 17:56:51

litemotiv
Forum Fellow
Registered: 2008-08-01
Posts: 5,026

Re: [SOLVED] Live CD boot error on macbook 7,1: boot device didn't show...

That's good news, glad to have you on board seatdistrict. smile


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